Birmingham: Annual Mass for Religious

Image: Archdiocese of Birmingham

Source: Archdiocese of Birmingham

On Saturday 1 February, religious priests, brothers and sisters gathered at St Chad's Cathedral for the annual Mass for Religious.

At the ecumenical Mass, celebrated by Archbishop Bernard Longley, the religious priests, brothers and sisters were invited to renew their commitment to the service of Jesus Christ, the Light of the World.

Together, they said: 'God our Father, we thank you for the dignity of new life in the Baptism. Today we give thanks to you for the blessings which you have given to us.

Living as religious men and women in community, we commit ourselves to deepening our relationships with God and to continuing the mission of Jesus.

We renew once again the Vows of consecrated life: Chastity, Poverty and Obedience, which were made at our Religious Profession.

We ask the Prayers and support of all present, as we continue to live these vows faithfully.

We continue to dedicate ourselves wholeheartedly to serve you and the Church, and to spread the Kingdom of Christ with love and zeal.'

The Mass is also an opportunity to celebrate our jubilarians and give thanks for their dedicated and sustained work and witness over so many years.

The Mass was attended by Sr Therese O'Neill (SP), celebrating her Diamond Jubilee and Sr Mary Felita Iwenof (IMI), celebrating her Silver Jubilee.

Also celebrating their Diamond jubilees this year were:
Sr Christine Sweet
Sr Catherine Burke
Sr Bernadette Devine

In his homily, Archbishop Bernard expressed gratitude for the opportunity to come together, highlighting the diverse Religious Congregations and consecrated lives that enrich our parish communities.

Reflecting on the Jubilee Year, His Grace emphasized the theme Peregrinantes in Spem-pilgrims journeying together into hope-and noted that the Religious life offers a foretaste of God's Kingdom through the charisms of faith, hope, and love, rooted in baptism.

Archbishop Bernard encouraged a discerning heart, drawing from Pope Francis's call for synodality, where all are invited to walk together, listening attentively to one another and the Holy Spirit.

He praised the Religious Congregations for their valuable insights into decision-making, especially through prayerful listening. He also acknowledged the contribution of Anglican communities and their service to those in need.

He commended the flexibility of Religious life, enabling ministers to reach marginalized communities and offer Christ's love to those often overlooked.

The offertory procession was made with a traditional African song and the Sisters Minor of St Francis sang a communion song in Italian.

Archbishop Bernard's Homily - MASS FOR RELIGIOUS: ST CHAD'S CATHEDRAL - 1 FEBRUARY 2025

When evening had come, Jesus said…'Let us go across to the other side.'.

I am very grateful for this annual opportunity for us to come together at St Chad's to give thanks for all our different Religious Congregations and for the other expressions of consecrated life that enrich our parish communities. Thank you for being here today and for representing the other Religious Brothers and Sisters of your Congregations who were unable to be with us today or who have joined our celebration via the live-streaming.

Among those unable to be here is Cardinal Timothy Radcliffe, who was to have been our preacher and guest speaker this afternoon. We offer him our heartfelt congratulations on being named Cardinal by Pope Francis and pray for his speedy recovery from a passing illness.

This year we come together as pilgrims of hope during the Jubilee Year - and St Chad's is one of the churches designated as a place of pilgrimage for the Holy Year. When the Holy See announced the theme for this Jubilee Year it used the Latin phrase Peregrinantes in Spem. This sees us as pilgrims who are journeying together into hope. Because none of us has completed this journey yet we can be truly alongside those whose hope may have been diminished through the hardships or challenges they have faced. We are all equally pilgrims searching hopefully on the way for the fullness of life in Christ.

I know that during the Holy Year you will continue to work and witness through the rich array of charisms that are the special gift of your different Religious Congregations. Today's first reading from the Letter to the Hebrews reminds us that these charisms from the Holy Spirit rest upon the great gifts of faith, hope and love that we have received in our baptism. Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

In your lives and witness as Religious men and women the Church teaches that we have a glimpse of the life of God's Kingdom, a vision of those realities which have yet to be fully uncovered for us. Just as the Eucharist is a foretaste of the heavenly banquet, so Religious life is a foretaste of the justice and peace of the Kingdom of God. Your vocation is to give us an assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

We are in need of a discerning heart, to recognise the things to be hoped for. Pope Francis called everyone in the Church to walk together along the synodal pathway. The Religious of our Archdiocese have played a distinctive part in this consultation. The Holy Father has asked us to listen with attentive and discerning hearts to one another - to see the face of Christ in each other as we walk this pathway together and to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit speaking to us.

As Religious Congregations you have valuable insights to share with the whole Church from your long experience of decision-making. I have had the privilege, as a diocesan bishop, of attending Chapter gatherings where I have witnessed the prayerful and attentive listening to every individual voice with a view to finding consensus on the decisions that were to be made. It is important for this quality of listening to be brought into our experience of diocesan life and decision-making.

Each year we also give thanks for Religious life among our fellow Christians and in particular within the Church of England. I am grateful for the annual presence and fellowship of our Anglican brothers and sisters whose communities have generously served others, often in the most challenging of local situations, alleviating deprivation and need and deserving their place in the affections of the local people. I welcome them together with Canon Mark Pryce today.

Our Holy Year pilgrimage into hope encourages us to look forward and to recognise the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead of us. I am aware of some of the new directions that Religious life has been taking and I welcome your ability to cross new thresholds to touch the lives of those beyond the reach of other ministries within the Church. You have put into practice the invitation of Jesus in today's Gospel: Let us go across to the other side.

There is an important freedom and flexibility open to Religious that makes it possible to minister at the margins, to have time for those who might otherwise be forgotten or overlooked. You are often able to show the love of Christ to those who have fallen between the gaps because you have a different perspective that is vital to the mission of the Church.

Today we recognise all our jubilarians and thank the Lord for their dedicated and sustained work and witness over so many years. Dear friends, as you renew your commitment together, look with confidence to the future, for Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.